Изучать русский язык со забавой!

[schneefink]

The title is meant to read "Studying Russian with fun" or something like that, I´m not sure if I got that? I wanted to say "How to study Russian and have fun", but apparently Russian doesn´t have an expression for "to have fun". Figures.

Anyway, here´s what helped me:

- read Russian translations of Sherlock crack!fic.
- Russian wikipedia pages about Science Fiction. I now know the Russian word for "firefly".
- Remember that "Serenity" had a line in Russian. Hey, every little bit helps!
- do you know that there is fanfic where Rodney McKay learned Russian while stationed in Siberia? Rodney McKay. Trying to learn Russian. I´m still grinning.
(He knows "da", "nyet", "vodka", and the first word he learns is "ужасный". At least that´s the word from my limited vocabulary that fits best. And he´d pronounce it terribly.)
- Rilke learned Russian! He even tried to write Russian poetry. We read it in school, it´s hilarious. Not intentionally, though.

When I think of anything else I´ll add it to the list.

Now I feel better. I have an interview for the application at the Moscow State University on Thursday, which means I studied Russian for hours during the last few days. Okay, mainly today. Yay me! Wish me luck :-)

Comments

[saphirablue]

Good luck! *crosses fingers for you* :)

[schneefink.livejournal.com]

Thanks! It went very well, I think :D

[michelel72.livejournal.com]

I know a "Rodney learns [some] Russian" fic, but it's a depressing one.

Good luck!

[schneefink.livejournal.com]

Good depressing or so bad it´s depressing?

Thanks! I think I did well. :)

[michelel72.livejournal.com]

Good depressing (http://www.wraithbait.com/viewstory.php?sid=12200), or so I think ....

[schneefink.livejournal.com]

Very good! Thanks for the link.

Late comment is late

[kikainausagi.livejournal.com]

I read I wanted to say "How to study Russian and have fun", but apparently Russian doesn´t have an expression for "to have fun". Figures. and snorted with laughter. Reminds me of when I read a book of Chekhov's "comic" short stories. Some of them were actually funny, and others I was just sitting there thinking "my god how is this supposed to be comedy? It's miserable!"

In summary: Russians are crazy. ;)

Re: Late comment is late

[schneefink.livejournal.com]

Chekhov - yes, exactly! Russian literature is an acquired taste. I started reading Dostoevsky once, liked two of his novels and then thought I´d read "Crime and Punishment." I still haven´t finished it.

I think it would be better to read it in the original language because from what I´ve seen, Russian is a very beautiful language when handled well. I´d go crazy trying, though.

Crazy, yes - I´m going to spend half a year in Moscow, wish me luck! (I´m looking forward to the food, though. Yum.)

Re: Late comment is late

[kikainausagi.livejournal.com]

Chekhov is one of my very favorite writers, but I have to be in the right mood to read his stuff. So far I haven't been able to finish any Russian novels, though - only short stories.

ooh, good luck with Moscow! That sounds fun! (mmmm, Russian food.)

Re: Late comment is late

[schneefink.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Fun, well, I hope so? I´m thinking of it as a big Adventure. With capital A, because nothing else can express the horrors of Russian bureaucracy that await me.

Chekhov did write mostly short stories and plays, didn´t he? Off the top of my head I can´t think of any classic Russian novels that are not heavy reading and more or less tragic... (But that might apply to "classic" novels in various languages, now that I think of it. Hmm.)